The Unique Field That Is Pharmaceutical Science

Whenever you have a headache or the flu, all you have to do is take a small little pill and

your sickness just disappears! Have you ever wondered how those pills were made or how

someone came up with them in the first place? The people that developed the medicine that

many people take for granted are known as pharmaceutical scientists. Not to be confused with

pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists are researchers extremely important to modern medicine.

Although the field is not as much in the spotlight compared to physicians and other fields,

pharmaceutical science is still an extremely valuable career path with both mental and financial

benefits to those that choose to pursue that field.

Firstly, what exactly does a pharmaceutical scientist do? According to the University of

North Carolina’s Eshelman School of Pharmacy, pharmaceutical scientists can research multiple

different stages of the drug development process. Some researchers choose to focus on

discovering new drugs to aid patients. Others will instead choose to test existing or newly

discovered drugs to ensure that they target illnesses and that they are safe for human usage,

whether that be consumption or topical application. Pharmaceutical scientists are also

responsible for figuring out how to manufacture the then-approved drugs so they can be

distributed to the public. Although pharmacy and pharmaceuticals sound and look similar, they

are anything but, and in the world of modern medicine, the fruits of pharmaceutical scientists’

labor can be found everywhere.

It is evident that pharmaceutical scientists do very important work, but how does one

become a researcher? The standard route toward becoming a pharmaceutical scientist is to first

obtain a bachelor’s degree in science, math, or engineering. Depending on the degree, it may be

easier to specialize in different areas of pharmaceutical sciences. For example, a bachelor’s

degree in engineering may be more useful when researching manufacturing methods for new

drugs rather than discovering new drugs. On the other hand, testing and discovering new drugs

may be easier with a stronger biology and chemistry background. Following the bachelor’s

degree, many schools, the University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceuticals

specifically, suggest going to graduate school to obtain a master’s degree. For those that do not

wish to attend graduate school, attending medical school to receive an MD or attending

pharmacy school to receive a PharmD are also viable options. It is during graduate school, or

medical and pharmacy school, that it is recommended for students to work in labs run by their

professors. This will give students a head start in terms of work experience. Working in a lab

with a familiar professor also will allow the student to learn first-hand what is expected of

pharmaceutical scientists. Following graduation, the student can then join another lab to continue

in the area of pharmaceutical science they chose to specialize in. As more experience is gained,

rather than working as part of a lab, the scientist may one day end up leading a lab as the head

researcher. Of course, entering a lab is not the only job opening for pharmaceutical scientists.

According to ExploreHealthCareers.org, a website run by Liaison International, an educational

consulting service for universities, pharmaceutical scientists can also be employed by schools,

companies developing or manufacturing medications, or by the government, to name a few

options.

The path to becoming a pharmaceutical scientist may seem confusing and complicated,

but in turn, there are many benefits to becoming a pharmaceutical scientist. One of these benefits

would be the high average salary of the profession. In the United States, as of July 25, 2023,

according to Salary.com, which received its data from a leading compensation data firm and has

a high reputation of its own, the average salary for a pharmaceutical scientist was $99,223. The
average salary for pharmaceutical scientists is much higher than the salaries of many other jobs,

and that allows pharmaceutical scientists more financial freedom to do other things they enjoy

instead of having to work all the time. Additionally, pharmaceutical scientists enjoy high job

security as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that between the years 2021 and 2031,

“Employment of medical scientists is projected to grow 17 percent,” which they state is much

higher than that of other professions (“Medical Scientists: Occupational Outlook Handbook::

U.S”). The one downside, however, of the work being so important and secure is that researchers

will sometimes find themselves working more than 40 hours a week, either to wrap up research

projects or something else. When the amount of work required is not taken into consideration,

pharmaceutical science is a career that pays extremely well is a career that will continue to exist

well into the future due to its increasing importance.

Of course, money and job security are not the only reasons why pharmaceutical scientists

do the work that they do. Another benefit of the job is the sense of fulfillment that working in

medicine can bring. Knowing that your work is helping to save a life somewhere is part of the

reason that many people pursue careers in medicine, and pharmaceutical research is no

exception. Other people are simply fueled by their curiosities towards both the machinery and

the thrill of discovery. When it comes to those interested in technology, working in the research

field means having access to machines and technologies that no ordinary person would have the

chance to interact with as the equipment costs tens of thousands of dollars. The possibility that

they will be able to work with the latest technology is an aspect of the work that many scientists

find appealing. Some wish to be at the forefront of medical discovery. Anyone would be proud to

say that they were one of the first people to discover a new treatment, or that they were the first

to develop a new method of drug manufacturing. The desire to discover something is something
that resides with every pharmaceutical researcher, and the sense of pride and excitement that

comes with making discoveries can sometimes be payment enough.

There is also a social motivation to work in pharmaceutical research. Pharmaceutical

science is a very reputable career path, causing the researcher to be looked very highly upon by

others. While the praise of others may not be the main reason a person will enter pharmaceutical

science research, it can be one of the main reasons one might choose to enter the field. It also

helps that pharmaceutical science isn’t exactly a boring field. For those who seek approval from

others regardless of what they do for work, pharmaceutical science would be a good choice as

the pay is high and the work can be quite entertaining.

In conclusion, pharmaceutical science is a career with extreme potential far into the

future that will continue to draw people in for a multitude of reasons. Though this holds for many

other professions, pharmaceutical science is particularly special in the way that the field is

incredibly diverse. Starting from the kinds of work done in the field, scientists could choose to be

a pioneer and discover new drugs. Others could choose to study and test existing drugs ensuring

the safety of those who consumed them. Pharmaceutical scientists could also focus more on

engineering new manufacturing processes for the new medicines that would change lives.

Moreover, the reasons why pharmaceutical scientists chose their line of work are also diverse.

Some might be motivated by money, which is perfectly reasonable considering the average

salary of a pharmaceutical scientist. There are also many who chose to enter pharmaceutical

sciences to help those that are sick in the world. Job security and the opportunity to work with

the newest technology are also major appeals to the pharmaceutical science industry. Something

that will remain true for the pharmaceutical industry is that ranging from the kind of research to
the motivations behind the research, pharmaceutical science has something for almost everyone,

making it a unique and exceptional career path.